Monday, 1 September 2014

14 tips that are designed to help you succeed in interviews

These 14 tips will help you to clear your interview.

Savvy hiring managers have honed
their ability to ask the least amount of questions yielding the greatest depth
of information. One way they do this is by asking seemingly simple questions
that get you to reveal information you may have been trying to conceal. In
other words: questions designed to trick you.

Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your
Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your
Job," says they use these queries to break through the "traditional
interview noise and clutter," and to get to the "raw you."

"While some of these questions
may seem as if they're designed to put you on the defensive, the intent is
usually to evaluate candidate responses on multiple levels - not just at face
value," Taylor explains. "Hiring managers can discern a great deal
about job seekers with thought provoking, challenging questions. If they cross
the line by being too tricky, unfair, or irrelevant, they can easily lose
excellent talent."

1) How would you describe yourself in one word?

Why do they ask this? The question is likely being asked to elicit
several data points: your personality type, how confident you are in your self
perception, and whether your work style is a good fit for the job, Taylor
explains.

What makes it tricky? This question can be a challenge, particularly
early on in the interview, because you don really know what personality type
the manager is seeking. "There is a fine line between sounding
self-congratulatory versus confident, and humble versus timid," Taylor
says. "And people are multifaceted, so putting a short label on oneself
can seem nearly impossible."

What response are they looking for? Proceed cautiously, warns Taylor.
"If you know you are reliable and dedicated, but love the fact that your
friends praise your clever humor, stick with the conservative route." If
you are applying for an accounting job, the one word descriptor should not be
"creative," and if its an art director position, you don want it to
be, "punctual," for example. "Most employers today are seeking
team players that are levelheaded under pressure, upbeat, honest, reliable, and
dedicated. However, it would be a mistake to rattle off adjectives that you
think will be well received. This is your opportunity to describe how your best
attributes are a great match for the job as you see it."

2) How does this position compare to others you are applying for?

Why do they ask this? They are basically asking: "Are you applying
for other jobs?" "The hiring manager is first trying to figure out
how active you are in your job search," Nicolai says. Then, once you open
up, they want to see how to speak about other companies or positions you are
interested in — and how honest you are.

What makes it tricky? If you say, "This is the only job I'm
applying for," that'll send up a red flag. Very few job applicants only
apply to the one single job — so they may assume you are being dishonest.
However, if you openly speak about other positions you are pursuing, and you
speak favourably about them, the hiring manager may worry that you'll end up
taking another job elsewhere, and they won want to waste their time.
"Speaking negatively about other jobs or employers isn't good
either," she says.

What response are they looking for? It is appropriate to say,
"There are several organizations with whom I am interviewing, however, I
not yet decided the best fit for my next career move." "This is
positive and protects the competitors," says Nicolai. "No reason to
pit companies or to brag."

3) Can you name three of your strengths and weaknesses?

Why do they ask this? The interviewer is looking for red flags and deal
breakers, such as inability to work well with coworkers and/or an inability to
meet deadlines. "Each job has its unique requirements, so your answers
should showcase applicable strengths, and your weaknesses should have a silver
lining," Taylor says. "At the very least, you should indicate that
negative attributes have diminished because of positive actions you have
taken."

What makes it tricky? You can sabotage yourself addressing either.
Exposing your weaknesses can hurt you if not ultimately turned into positives,
she says. "Your strengths may not align with the skill set or work style
required for the job. It's best to prepare for this question in advance, or
risk landing in a minefield."

What response are they looking for? Hiring managers want to know that
your strengths will be a direct asset to the new position and none of your
weaknesses would hurt your ability to perform. "They are also looking for
your ability to self assess with maturity and confidence," says Taylor.

4) Why do you want to work here?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers ask this because they want to know
what drives you the most, how well you researched them, and how much you want
the job.

What makes it tricky? "Clearly you want to work for the firm for
several reasons," Taylor says. "But just how you prioritize them
reveals a lot about what is important to you." You may be thinking to
yourself, "I'm not getting paid what I'm worth," or, "I have a terrible
boss," or, "All things being equal, this commute is incredibly
short" — none of which endears you to the hiring manager. "You are
also being tested on your level of interest for the job," she says.

What response are they looking for? Hiring managers want to see that you
have taken the time to research the company and understand the industry.

They also want to know that you actually want this job (and not just any job);
that you have a can-do attitude; that you are high energy; that you can make a
significant contribution; that you understand their mission and goals; and that
you want to be part of that mission.

5) Why do you want to leave your current job?

Why do they ask this? "Your prospective boss is looking for
patterns or anything negative, especially if your positions are many and
short-term," Taylor explains. They may try to determine if you currently
have or had issues working with others leading to termination, if you get bored
quickly in a job, or other red flags.

What makes it tricky? No one likes talking about a job they dislike and
why. If not answered diplomatically, your answer could raise further questions
and doubts, or sink your chances entirely.

What response are they looking for? They are hoping that you are seeking
a more challenging position that is a better fit for your current skill set.
"Know that hiring managers don mind hearing that you are particularly
excited about the growth opportunity at their company."

6) What are you most proud of in your career?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers ask this because they want to
understand what you are passionate about, what you feel you excel at, and
whether you take pride in your work. "How you describe your favourite
project, for example, is almost as important as the project itself,"
Taylor says. "It's assumed that if you can speak with conviction and pride
about your past work, you can do the same during important presentations at the
new employer."

What makes it tricky? Managers may assume that this type of work is what
you really want to do most or focus on in the future. It can make you sound
one-dimensional if you don put it in the context of a larger range of skills
and interests.

What response are they looking for? Hiring managers want to see your
ability to articulate well, foster enthusiasm in others, and your positive
energy. "But one note of caution: In all your zeal to share your
successes, remain concise," Taylor suggests. "You want to showcase
your ability to present well once on the job."

7) What kind of boss and coworkers have you had the most and least success
with, and why?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers are trying to ascertain if you
generally have conflicts with people and/or personality types.
"Secondarily, they want to know how you can work at your best," says
Taylor.

What makes it tricky? You run the risk of appearing difficult by admitting
to unsuccessful interactions with others, unless you keep emotions out of it.
You may also inadvertently describe some of the attributes of your prospective
boss. If you say, "I had a boss who held so many meetings that it was hard
to get my work done," and your interviewer turns beet red — you might have
hit a nerve.

What response are they looking for? "They want to hear more good
than bad news," Taylor explains. "It's always best to start out with
the positive and downplay the negatives." You don want to be evasive, but
this is not the time to outline all your personality shortcomings either. Here
you have an opportunity to speak generally about traits that you admire in
others, yet appear flexible enough to work with a variety of personality types.
For example: "I think I work well with a wide gamut of personalities. Some
of my most successful relationships have been where both people communicated
very well and set mutual expectations upfront."

8) Have you ever considered being an entrepreneur?

Why do they ask this? The interviewer is testing to see if you still
have the hidden desire to run your own company, thus abandoning ship, Taylor
says. "No firm wants to sense this, as they will begin to ponder whether
their valuable training time and money could vanish."

What makes it tricky? Most everyone has considered being an entrepreneur
at some point in their lives, but to varying degrees. This question is tricky
because you can unwittingly be lured into talking about your one-time desire to
be your own boss with too much perceived enthusiasm. An employer may fear that
you still hope to eventually go out on your own, and they'll consider you a
flight risk.

What response are they looking for? It's okay to tell a prospective
manager that you once considered entrepreneurship or have worked as an
independent contractor. It can easily be turned into a positive by stating that
you already experienced it or thought about it, and its not for you. That might
be more convincing than saying, "No, I never considered that."

This is an opportunity to discuss why working in a corporate environment as
part of a team is most fulfilling to you. You may also enjoy the specialized
work in your field more than the operational, financial, or administrative
aspects of entrepreneurship. You can further allay their fears by explaining
exactly why their company appeals to you.

9) If you could work for any company, where would you work?

Why do they ask this? Hiring managers want to ascertain how serious you
are about working for them in particular, versus the competition, as well as
your level of loyalty, Taylor says. "It also helps them weed out
candidates who may veer from the core career. You may have heard that Google is
a great place to work, but that off-road strategy would spell doom, as you have
being given the opportunity to theoretically work at your dream job. The
interviewer isn't making conversation here, so stay focused on the job at
hand."

What makes it tricky? You might get caught up in the casual flow of the
discussion and inadvertently leak out some well-respected firms, but this is
counterproductive and only instils some doubt about your objectives.

What are they seeking? "Your interviewer wants to know that you are
interviewing at your first company of choice." A response to this might
be, "Actually, I have been heavily researching target firms, and [your
company] seems like the ideal fit for my credentials. It's exciting to me that
[your company] is doing XYZ in the industry, for example, and I'd like to
contribute my part."

10) What would you do if you won $5 million tomorrow?

Why do they ask this? They want to know whether you'd still work if you
didn't need the money. Your response to this question tells the employer about
your motivation and work ethic. They may also want to know what you'd spend the
money on, or whether you'd invest it. This tells them how responsible you are
with your money, and how mature you are as a person.

What makes it tricky? Questions that are out of left field can ambush
you, causing you to lose composure. "They have nothing to do with the job
at hand, and you may wonder if there is any significance to them," Taylor
says. "Whether there is or not, the fact remains that you can easily lose
your cool if you don pause and gather your thoughts before you respond to a
question like this."

What response are they looking for? They want to hear that you'd
continue working because you are passionate about what you do — and they want
to know you'd make smart financial decisions. If you'd do something
irresponsible with your own money, they'll worry you'll be careless with
theirs.

11) Have you ever been asked to compromise your integrity by your supervisor
or colleague? Tell us about it.

Why do they ask this? Your prospective boss is evaluating your moral
compass. They want to know how you handled a delicate situation that put your
integrity to the test, Taylor explains. "They may also dig too deeply to
test your level of discretion." Essentially they want to know: Did you use
diplomacy? Did you publicly blow the whistle? Did a backlash ensue? What was
your thought process?

What makes it tricky? Interviewers want to know how you manage sensitive
matters, and are also wary of those who badmouth former employers, no matter how
serious the misdeed. "They will be concerned if you share too much
proprietary information with the interviewer," she says. "So it is
tricky because you must carefully choose your words, using the utmost
diplomacy."

What response are they looking for? It's wise to be clear, concise, and
professional in your answer, without revealing any internal practices of prior
employers. "You have nothing to gain by divulging private corporation
information."

Something like this might work: "There was one time where a fellow
worker asked me to get involved in a project that seemed unethical, but the
problem resolved itself. I try to be as honest as possible early on if a
project creates concern for me about the company, as I'm very dedicated to its
success."

12) Can you give us a reason someone may not like working with you?Why do they ask this? Prospective bosses want to know if there are any
glaring personality issues, and what better way that to go direct to the
source? "They figure that the worst that can happen is you will lie, and
they may feel they are still adept at detecting mistruths," Taylor
explains. "The negative tone of the question is bound to test the mettle
of even the most seasoned business professionals."

What makes it tricky? You can easily shoot yourself in the foot with
this question. If you flip and say, "I can think of a reason anyone
wouldn't like working with me," you are subtly insulting the interviewer
by trivializing the question. So you have to frame the question in a way that
gets at the intent without being self-effacing. "Hiring managers are not
seeking job candidates who have self-pity," she says.

What response are they looking for? You don want to say, "Well I'm
not always the easiest person to be around, particularly when under deadlines.
I sometimes lose my temper too easily." You might as well pack up and look
for the nearest exit. "Conversely, you can lead with the positive and go
from there: Generally I havee been fortunate to have great relationships at all
my jobs. The only times I have been disliked — and it was temporary — was when
I needed to challenge my staff to perform better. Sometimes I feel we must make
unpopular decisions that are for the larger good of the company," Taylor
suggests.

13) Why have you been out of work for so long?

Why do they ask this? "Interviewers are sceptical by design,"
Taylor says. "Sometimes you are guilty until proven innocent — until all
the perceived skeletons in the closet have been removed." This is a
daunting question in particular because it can seem offensive. The implication
is that you might not be motivated enough to secure a job; you are being
distracted by other pursuits; your skills set may not be up to date; there is
an issue with your past employers, or a host of other concerns.

What makes it tricky? The way its worded is naturally designed to test
your resilience. The key is not to take the bait and just answer the intent of
the question in a calm, factual manner.

What response are they looking for? The hiring manager wants be assured
that you possess initiative even when unemployed, as this drive and tenacity
will translate well in a corporate setting. Sample responses: "I have been
interviewing steadily, but want to find the ideal fit before I jump in and give
my typical 110%," or, "I'm active in my job search, and I keep my
skills current through [courses, volunteering, social media, business
networking groups]." "If you took off time to take care of a personal
matter, you can certainly state that without giving a lot of detail,"
Taylor says.

Make sure you are accountable. Don't blame the unemployment rate, your market,
industry, or anything else. This is about how active and excited you are to be
making a contribution to the employer.

14) How did you make time for this interview? Where does your boss think you
are right now?

Why do they ask this? Hiring managers want to find out if your
priorities are in the right place: current job first, interviews second.
"They know that the habits you follow now speak to your integrity and how
you will treat your job at their company should you undertake a future job
search," says Taylor. "They also want to know how you handle awkward
situations where you cannot be truthful to your boss. Ideally your interview is
during a break that is your time, which is important to point out."

What makes it tricky? The implication is, "How is it searching for
a job behind your bosses back?" For most employed job seekers, it's
uncomfortable to lie about their whereabouts. So they are vague and treat it
like any other personal matter they handle on their time.

What response are they looking for? It's wise to explain that you always
put your job first, and schedule interviews before or after work, at lunchtime,
during weekends if appropriate, and during personal time off. If asked
pointedly, "Where does your boss think you are right now?" be vague.
Don say: "I took a sick day." Instead, Taylor suggests you try
something like: "My boss understands that I have certain break periods and
personal time — he doesn't ask for details. He's most interested in my
results."